Aromatic polyester containing phenolphthalein unit and bis-phenol unit

Abstract

An aromatic polyester comprising two structural units represented by the following formulas A and B in a molar ratio of the structural unit A to the structural unit B being from 70:30 to 90:10 or four structural units represented by the following formulas A, B, C and D in a molar ratio of the total of the structural units A and C to the total of the structural units B and D being from 10:90 to 95:5 and the total of the structural units C and D being less than 50 molar %, and having a reduced viscosity eta sp/C of from 0.6 to 4 dl/g as measured at 30 DEG C. at a concentration of 1.0 g/dl in a solution of a mixture comprising phenol and tetrachloroethane in a weight ratio of 1:1, Structural unit A: <IMAGE> (A) Structural unit B: <IMAGE> (B) Structural unit C: <IMAGE> (C) and Structural unit D: <IMAGE> (D)

We claim: 
     
       1. An aromatic polyester comprising two structural units represented by the following formulas A and B in a molar ratio of the structural unit A to the structural unit B being from 70:30 to 90:10 or four structural units represented by the following formulas A, B, C and D in a molar ratio of the total of the structural units A and C to the total of the structural units B and D being from 10:90 to B 95:5 and the total of the structural units C and D being less than 50 molar %, and having a reduced viscosity η sp/C of from 0.6 to 4 dl/g as measured at 30° C. at a concentration of 1.0 g/dl in a solution of a mixture comprising phenol and tetrachloroethane in a weight ratio of 1:1, ##STR6## wherein the bisphenol component of structural units A and C is selected from the group consisting of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, 2,2'-bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)propane, 2,2'-bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dichlorophenyl)propane, 2,2-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl)propane, 2-2-bis(4-hydroxy-3-chlorophenyl)-propane, bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-methane, bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)-methane, bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dichlorophenyl)-methane, bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dibromophenyl)-methane, 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexane, 4,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl-bis(hydroxyphenyl)-ketone, bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)-ketone, bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dichlorophenyl)-ketone, bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfide, bis(4-hydroxy-3-chlorophenyl)-sulfide, bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dichlorophenyl)-sulfide, bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-sulfone, and bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dichlorophenyl)ether. 
     
     
       2. The aromatic polyester according to claim 1 wherein the reduced viscosity ηsp/C is from 0.6 to 1.1 dl/g as measured at 30° C. at a concentration of 1.0 g/dl in a solution of a mixture comprising phenol and tetrachloroethane in a weight ratio of 1:1. 
     
     
       3. The aromatic polyester according to claim 1, wherein the molar ratio of the sum of structural units A and C to the sum of structural units B and D ranges from 60:40 to 90:10. 
     
     
       4. The aromatic polyester according to claim 3, wherein said molar ratio ranges from 70:30 to 90:10. 
     
     
       5. The aromatic polyester according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of structural units C and D in the polyester is less than 25 molar percent. 
     
     
       6. The aromatic polyester according to claim 1, wherein said reduced viscosity η sp/C ranges from 0.65 to 1.1 dl/g.